As far as your 16-bit side-scrolling shooters go, P-Dai is limited, but wholesome. P-Dai himself moves a bit sluggishly which adds to the building challenge of the game (and anytime you let go of the joystick he floats slowly to the bottom), but is virtually devoid of power-ups (yet the fire button can be held down R-Type-style to fire three differently-powered shots). The music rarely changes (P-Dai goes through five ladders of stages), but if you haven't loved the game by the time you start hearing that first stage music, well then you sir/madam, are uncool.